Ottawa, ON - The UCI (International Cycling Union) has announced that the World Master Mountain Bike Championships will continue to be held in Bromont, Quebec for another 4 years.

Mr. Hein Verbruggen, President of the UCI, recently informed Mr. Richard Deslandes, the event organizer, of the UCI's decision. The Championships have made Bromont their annual home since 1999, and the decision to keep them there was based on past event organization, success and presentation. The contract has been extended from 2003 to 2006.

Mr. Deslandes said he was very happy and excited that the UCI granted the Championships to Bromont for another 4 years, as this is a great opportunity for cycling in the region. He hopes to begin a "festival of cycling", which would take place over 10 days, and include various cycling events in the disciplines of track, road, bmx and mountain bike, and culminating with the World Master Championships.

This year, 495 riders from 21 countries participated at the World Masters Championships, ranging in age from 30 to 70 years, participating in both cross-country and downhill disciplines. Canada finished an impressive third this year in the medal count. The United States led the standings with 15 medals (4 gold), followed by Italy with 6 medals (3 gold) and Canada, also with 6 medals (2 gold).

This is an exciting opportunity for Canada, as we are host to many international cycling events each year, including the Montreal Women's Road World Cup, and the Mont St. Anne and Grouse mountain Mountain Bike World Cups. In 2003, Canada will host the Road World Championships in Hamilton, Ontario.

Three New Members of the Québec Cycling Hall of Fame

The Québec Cycling Sports Federation is inducting this fall Louis Garneau and Robert Van Den Eynde in the athlete's category and Lucien Bailly in the builder's category.

Winner of about 150 cycling races on road and track from 1972 to 1984, Louis Garneau participated in the 1984 Olympic Games as well as the World Road Cycling Championships in 1981, 1982 and 1983. He also took part in the road race event at the Commonwealth Games of 1978 and 1982 while racing at the World University Games in 1983. He also earned several Canadian and Québec Championship titles on road and track as well as many road events in Canada, the United States and Europe during his amateur bicycle racing career of 13 years. Louis Garneau is President of Louis Garneau Sports, a company with over 400 employees working in Canada, United States and in Europe.

With more then 70 victories on road and track, Robert Van Den Eynde raced from 1968 to 1976. He took part in the 1974 World Road Cycling Championship in Montréal, and in the 1975 World Championship in Belgium. He also participated to the road race at the Pan American Games in Mexico in 1975. Co-holder of the 100 km team time trial record for about ten years, he also won many races in Québec. Robert Van Den Eynde currently works with Cycles Marinoni.

Lucien Bailly has been the first full time paid technical director of the Québec Cycling Federation from 1971 to 1976. He had a tremendous contribution in the development and dissemination of technical knowledge and expertise regarding road and track cycling in Québec. He had a determining influence on the career of many athletes has well has coaches and officials. He also gave an important contribution to the organizing of races in the province. After 1976, he became the French Cycling Federation's technical director. He is currently director of the track program of UCI and is in charge of the new World Cycling Center that will open in Spring 2002 in Switzerland.

Louis Garneau was inducted to the Québec Cycling Hall of Fame at the annual banquet of the FQSC on October 21, in Mont Sainte Anne. Robert Van Den Eynde and Lucien Bailly will be inducted in Montréal, on December 6 2001.

The Québec Cycling Sports Federation is proud to honor its best athletes and builders in the Québec history of cycling sports.

Starting November 29th to December 1st ,Glenn Edwards, a Markham Fire Fighter, will be stair climbing the equivalent height of Mount Everest in his full fire fighting equipment! This crazy challenge is a fund raising benefit for The Children's Wish Foundation of Canada. Beginning at 4 pm Nov. 29th ,Glenn will be stair-climbing non-stop until 2pm Saturday December 1st. To reach his goal of climbing 29,035 vertical feet, he has to ascend the 10-story Markham Embassy Suites Hotel and Conference Centre 257 times, totaling 43,947 stairs. This is Glenn's 3rd of 8 scheduled fundraisers to raise $88,500.00 for the CWF ($88,500 signifies the goal of raising $10 per vertical metre of Mount Everest)

Glenn is no stranger to ultra endurance events. In February 2001 he cross-country skied 280km non-stop kms. and in August 2001 he ran 80.2 kms from Orangeville to Markham. Both events were to raise funds for the CWF.

The town of Markham believes in Glenn and his cause. Various councilors and the Mayor will be joining Glenn in his stair climbing efforts. Ripley's Believe It or Not is interested in this outstanding endurance feat and has requested Steve Foster to film the proceedings.

This event is also a training exercise for Glenn. In May of 2003 he will be attempting to become the first Canadian to summit Mount Everest without the support of supplementary oxygen. The expedition is called the Canadian Fire Fighter Everest Expedition 2003-Climbing for the Children's Wish Foundation.

Glenn believes in the magic of wishes come true and because of this he has chosen the CWF as the official charity to be associated with his own dream of conquering Mount Everest. For more information pertaining to Glenn and his fund raising efforts, you can log on to www.heroesinmotion.com.